Product dispensing machines offer convenience to consumers by providing one or more types of goods or products. The type(s) of goods or products available at any given vending machine are generally based on consumer demand and location. The convenience of these devices lies in the speed of transaction, which is facilitated by an automated process (mechanical dispensing without human cashier) and being in a physical proximity to usual consumer traffic. However, there is no available customer service for such devices if an error occurs in a transaction.
The selection of goods and products available at retail brick-and-mortar store fronts follows the same criteria as that of vending machines. So-called “convenience stores” provide faster transactions for certain consumable goods by offering limited selections in smaller spaces than larger retail grocers or other retail stores. In 1937, Clarence Saunders sought to build on the vending machine model with his automated grocery store, The Keedoozle (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,820,591), which expanded product selection to grocery items and provided a savings in labor and other costs compared to the traditional grocery store. This in turn allowed a cost-savings benefit for the consumer. The brick-and-mortar Keedoozle also offered limited customer service with a cashier onsite. However, the Keedoozle still presented the same hassles and inconveniences for modern consumers that exist with all brick-and-mortar stores.
The inventor addressed some of these problems in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,139 (Rivalto), which is incorporated herein by reference. The automated drive-up retail facility disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,139 provided a leap forward in automated vending facilities. The original Rivalto automated drive-up retail facility remains in service to this day by providing the convenience of a cashier-less vending machine with the customer expectations of a retail goods selection for a convenient store-type location in an urban setting. However, combining such goods in an automated manner presents many challenges for the efficient automated dispensing of certain types of goods without an employee being physically located at the facility.
The inventor also addressed systems for automoated package pickup and delivery in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,997 (Rivalto), which is incorporated herein by reference.
There is a need in the field for an improved automated retail facility that addresses the foregoing and other challenges.